assay - Dictionary definition and pronunciation - Yahoo! Education
Reference
Dictionary
Encyclopedia
Thesaurus
World Factbook
Spanish Dictionary
Anatomy
Conversion Calculator
 
asˇsay  audio  (s, -s) KEY 

NOUN:
    1. Qualitative or quantitative analysis of a substance, especially of an ore or drug, to determine its components.
    2. A substance to be so analyzed.
    3. The result of such an analysis.
  1. An analysis or examination.
  2. Archaic An attempt; an essay.
VERB:
asˇsayed, asˇsayˇing, asˇsays (-s, s)
VERB:
tr.
  1. To subject to chemical analysis.
  2. To examine by trial or experiment; put to a test: assay one's ability to speak Chinese.
  3. To evaluate; assess: assayed the situation before taking action. See Synonyms at estimate.
  4. To attempt; try.
VERB:
intr.
To be shown by analysis to contain a certain proportion of usually precious metal.

ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English, from Old French essai, assai ; see essay

OTHER FORMS:
asˇsayaˇble(Adjective), asˇsayer(Noun)


Visit our partner's site
Provided by Houghton Mifflin
logoeReference -- Download this interactive reference software to your desktop computer